Our Core Principles
Understand the clients brand & goals
Each Client has a unique brand and story. It is our charge to understand their business strategy and work model. How they work, who they serve and how they are different from their competitors is important. We ask hard questions and listen to their long-term goals and aspirations. We try to articulate their story in their new space or location.
Assemble the best team for the project
We believe in presenting the best team of professionals for the job at hand. Working together as a team from the beginning leads to a better understanding of customer needs, desires and limitations. The earlier the Contractor and engineering professionals can be involved from a job costing perspective, the better. A great team needs to have experience working together so that the customer gets the best results possible.
Lead the client through the entire process
Most Clients have little or no experience in the design and construction. It is important for the Client to understand the phases of design; that design is a process and there will be changes along the way. The sequence of conceptualization, options, timeline, budgets, bidding, construction and move-in all drives the Client’s key decision making and may impact as they are all critical timeline factors.
Create and monitor budget & schedule
It is important to discuss the cost and schedule implications of a project early in the design process. Once a reasonable budget and timeline is agreed upon, the scope of work needs to match. Budgets should allow for price increases and schedules need to anticipate lead times and deadlines. It’s also important to revisit to both during each phase of the project in order to reduce any scope creep and adjust for schedule constraints.
Create and monitor the budget & schedule
Work-flow within a business is just as important as the vision of the business. How a business operates, sees customers, organizes employee functions and accepts deliveries can affect the overall design of the space or building in plan and in three dimensions. The design of the exterior of a building is just as important as the design of the interior.
Integrate architecture, interiors & FF&E
All aspects of a design can impact the final layout, footprint and building’s size in three dimensions. The designer needs to understand the individual worker, how they interact with their peers and how the overall workflow functions. Making sure that the furniture is right for the tasks at hand is just as important as the interior finishes, lighting and overall layout. Thinking about how the building is being used in three dimensions early, helps create the building’s form.
“Nice, new, affordable apartments. Like what they are doing in town!”
— Phil Stevens
Public-Private Partnerships
After four decades, we’ve learned that public-private partnerships deliver the best outcomes for downtown renewal. Cities bring vision and regulatory authority. We bring capital, know-how, and long-term commitment.
Structured properly, everyone wins. Most importantly, the community wins.
Want to explore a partnership? Let’s talk about your community.
